up in da club

Tuesday (12/20)

The next morning found us at school at 10am, again sitting in the student lounge downstairs, again working on a paper. Because Limor and I can only share one adapter, I kept my computer off to save battery, and instead read my book. While we were there, some girl sat down next to me with a coffee mug that had children's english scrawled on the outside, much like a summer camp craft project, and I wanted to ask her if she was a counselor at a US summer camp like Limor.

At 12pm, we scurried up to Limor's second class of the day (skipped the first one for the paper). I worked on my computer for the hour or so we were there, and when we left the classroom we were surprised to find that it was raining outside. What had begun as a very sunny and warm day had suddenly become dreary and cold. It's funny, because Limor had complained earlier about being overdressed.

Limor's third class was in a small, cramped room with just enough seats to fit her entire class. Apparently it's a weekly ritual for students from the electrical engineering class across the hall to try to steal chairs. It's very easy to tell if someone is a thief, because Limor's class is practically all female - so whenever a guy steps in the room, all of the girls start shouting "Get out! We need 100% of these seats!" What really got me is that at least ten guys from the EE class came in the room - you'd think they would notice when the guy before them comes back empty-handed, but I guess you gotta give them credit for persistence.

Three other events of note during that class (which was on feminism, and featured a lot of English): (1) her teacher noticed that I wasn't a regular student, probably because I was male; (2) one of the girls in our row was face-down passed-out on her desk, and everyone made me take a picture of her; (3) one of the two guys in the class had his computer, and although I didn't see it, I was told that he came across a nude photo of himself while browsing thru pictures - he was also sitting in the front row, so the majority of the class saw it.

The third class was across campus, and it was about sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, minus the rock'n'roll. I'm not sure why, but it's taught by both North- and South-American professors. The SA professor taught today, although both were arguing during the couple minutes before class. Judging by the constant laughter, the teacher was pretty funny - like when his self-described "South-American temper" got the better of him and he stopped mid-sentence to rush outside and yell at some guy using a hammer in the hallway.

We went home at 6pm, walking back through an orangish dark after a storm, which has that peculiar lighting that looks very beautiful in person but refuses to be captured properly on film. Believe me, I tried several times on the way back.

At home, Limor made us lo mein for dinner. Afterwards, around 10pm we went out with Hadas, Re'ut, and Adi to a club called "Must". Coincidentally enough, the evening was supposedly had a South-American theme. Because it is a relatively new club, it took a little while to fill up, but it was pretty packed after about an hour. The music progression went from general club-rap, to techno, then latino-ish techno (which was I guess a nod to the party's theme), then to old israeli songs that everybody knows and feels nostalgic about but doesn't really want to dance to.

So I danced all night, feeling rather foolish the entire time. I think I'm a pretty good dancer, maybe I get too into it sometimes and overdo it, but I always wonder if people glance over at me and think "Wow, what a retard." But, I enjoy myself, and since I'm not the kind of guy who has to grind up on every girl in the club (not to mention Limor wouldn't appreciate that anyway) it doesn't matter what other people think. Apparently I concentrate too hard on dancing though, because I don't smile or something, so Limor's friends kept leaning over and asking me if I was bored or not having a good time.

At 2am I was pretty much ready to go, and Adi suggested we go to Nafi's. I'm down for some middle-of-the-night Israeli comfort food. Nafi's is kind of like the Waffle House (or Cook-Out) that everybody goes to hang out at after a party, only it's actualy quality food. Still greasy though. I hadn't been there for almost two years, and I was ready to eat some fatut. I don't know how to describe fatut, but it's warm, cheesy, and satisfying. Especially after four hours of dancing. So Nadav, Re'ut's boyfriend, called me over to drive in the "guy's car", and I headed over with him and Yaron, while the girls arrived separately.

After stuffing myself, we all parted ways. I didn't go to sleep until 4am. I was sure I'd regret it the next day, because Limor and I had plans to enjoy a day of spa treatment at the Dead Sea.